Approach

This case study is conducted on a southern slope called `Weidist´ in the Rhine valley, near Altstätten, canton St. Gallen. To be able to document the effects of this project, an evaluation at the level of breeding bird densities and insect densities (grasshoppers and ants as indicators for food resources and biodiversity) is conducted. The first survey takes place before any scheme is implemented to assess the initial situation. An inventory of existing habitats is established. During the implementation of measures, a breeding bird census is carried out annually; then, breeding birds are censused two, four and six years, respectively, after the implementation of all schemes has taken place (evaluation).

A close collaboration with local farmers is essential to guarantee that measures are successfully implemented. Farmers are regularly contacted and are encouraged to preserve and improve traditional orchard meadows. We make sure that the management is also economically optimised without compromising the ecological aims. The following measures are of priority:

Improving the availability of breeding opportunities for hole nesters by providing nest boxes.

Significance

The populations of the so-called "orchard birds" have drastically declined over the last decades. In principle, these species inhabit arborescent savannah-like landscapes and/or traditional orchards. These species thrived in traditional orchards (with standard fruit trees) and are now forced to find alternative habitats. The redstart, for example, is a typical priority species of the Swiss Species Recovery Programme for Birds (a collaboration of the Swiss Ornithological Institute, BirdLife Switzerland and the Federal Office for the Environment FOEN).

Little is known about the effectiveness and practicality of the planned measures. They are now investigated in this case study.